Thursday, 14 July 2011

This month I've been adding to my shop with some new greetings card and invitation designs. I always have good intentions to keep up with it but rarely seem to have the time. I've got so much work on my computer it seems silly not to reformat it and put it on my shop, ready to customise and order...

...so that's what I've done! Above are some floral designs for a female birthday.

Some designs you may recognise and some you may not. All are customisable with names, messages and in some cases ages too.

Wednesday, 1 June 2011

I entered Tigerprint's latest competition - Word Up - to come up with some original greetings captions. Here are a couple of my entries:

New Baby and Wedding. The design wasn't the factor, they're judging the words... but I fancied having a play and enjoyed making all the hand drawn type. Fingers crossed they like them, though it's always a good exercise to generate new ideas for myself!

Thursday, 19 May 2011

The past couple of months I've been working on lots of different things... of course! I have a few bespoke invitations on the go at the moment which I'll be able to show you sometime in the future. I also designed this invitation for an 80th birthday party at a fish and chip restaurant, which was fun!

It's designed in a similar style (but contrasting nutritional value) to this piece of work I created: "5 a day" - (an unsuccessful but enjoyable pitch!)

Also I've been very busy with Leeds Owl Trail, delivering art and heritage workshops in schools, in Leeds City Art Gallery (where there's a fantastic FREE Henry Moore exhibition that really is a must see) and Leeds City Library (you should go and see the Leeds Tapestry there!). I find the Leeds Owl Trail days with the primary school children really is a fab way to spend a day!

I love this grey owl's eyes (by a year 3 student) a tunnel going all the way through. You can see how the gallery collection really does inspire the young artists!

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Henry Moore Mask

I've also completed version 5 of the Leeds Owl Trail map, adding the Rose Bowl and other changes to Leeds City Centre, including the eagerly anticipated Trinity Leeds development.

I'm taking part in a Creative Partnerships project and spent my first day with GCSE students, seen here in their beautiful garden space.

It made me yearn for my sketchbook days! Back to work now, I hope you enjoyed seeing what I've been up to!

Thursday, 7 April 2011

I've hand painted a headboard for my friend's little princess. It's nice to get the paints out for a change, it happens so rarely and I did enjoy it.

Also, it was MY little princess's 10th birthday (Where does the time go!?) and we made her a Hollywood themed party. She was very clear in what she wanted; I had lists and mood boards presented to me regularly (WHERE does she get that from I wonder!?), with guests, order of the day, cake designs, decor, which family member was doing what etc...

We had a red carpet, tinsel shimmer curtains, paparazzi (courtesy of Auntie #1), cocktails (courtesy of Auntie #2), quiz and karaoke (courtesy of Dad), Hollywood Hills cake (courtesy of Grandma), door staff (Grandpa "if your name's not down...") and we even created her own VIP brand (courtesy of Mum!) to decorate the room, the cocktail menus, thank yous etc.

A successful and tiring afternoon!

Work has been really varied, with logo and branding for new handmade chutney business The Artisan Pantry:

I've designed probably the coolest Bar Mitzvah invitations﻿:

And have done LOTS of Leeds Owl Trail art and heritage workshops in schools, the Leeds City Art Gallery, Museum and Central Library.

I'm also working on version 5 of the Leeds Owl Trail map. I love my work with the Leeds Owl Trail, I wonder how many owls we've made over the last year with children around Leeds? It must be a couple of thousand by now!﻿

Now we're zooming into April, I'm continuing to mix it up with more 'Owl' projects, a couple of bespoke invitations and there's always my ongoing greetings cards and framed baby name pictures. It's certainly never mundane being a freelancer!

Friday, 11 February 2011

Valentine's Day is nearly upon us, and while I've left it a little late to promote my own cards for sale (rubbish moi!) I thought I'd post some anyhow, just to get in the mood!

This design is selling well on my Zazzle shop, personalised with a couple's names.

I was intrigued by one customer who bought two... hedging his bets or is one for his mum!?

It's also a good card to give as an anniversary or engagement card (I also offer this design as an invitation)... Maybe that's what the gentleman customer is doing with his second card!

Another multi-use design I have available is this heart:

I have produced this as a valentines card, an engagement and wedding card with couples' names and occasion date; and also, as shown above, a Bat Mitzvah celebration card. Perfect for a Pink Pre-Teen!

What will I be sending this Valentine's Day? Well, I feel that I should really put some extra effort in and make something unique for my husband on Valentine's Day. It usually involves some hand cut detail, or paper folding, even shrinkles have featured in the past... stuff that I don't do every day. Inspiration this year has come from some beautiful work from Upon A Fold... I'll take a pic of my finished effort whatever it may be!

The busiest area in my work at the moment is invitations, it's clearly the start of the celebration season! The best seller on my Zazzle store is this design:

Wednesday, 5 January 2011

I created some Christmas backdrops for the fabulous Les Enfants party company. You may remember previous work I've done for them for their London Zoo parties which was massively enjoyable, and this project was just as much fun.

Santa's Grotto Backdrop

Arctic Post Room Backdrop

I thoroughly enjoyed adding lots of little details, as when the back drops would be full 3m x 2m size I wanted there to be lots of interest. Notes to Santa pinned on the wall, Mr and Mrs Claus mugs, apples for reindeer... and lots more!

In situ!

Life-size detail!

and a 3D postbox to match (with little robin detail!)

It's always a buzz to see my work transformed from the monitor/sketchpad to its intended end use; whether on a small scale greetings card or large and life size as here. Seeing these sets in place (if only in pictures) was really exciting.

All about me...

I am a freelance illustrator and designer, working on all sorts of projects from greetings cards to logos, book illustration to characters, school art & heritage workshops to personalised pictures. Always something new and challenging!